Virtual reality (VR) is a computer technology that uses virtual reality headsets or multi-projected environments, sometimes in combination with physical environments or props, to generate realistic images, sounds and other sensations that simulate a user's physical presence in a virtual or imaginary environment. A person using virtual reality equipment is able to "look around" the artificial world, and with high quality VR move around in it and interact with virtual features or items. The effect is commonly created by VR headsets consisting of head-mounted goggles with a screen in front of the eyes, but can also be created through specially designed spaces with multiple large screens.

VR systems that include transmission of vibrations and other sensations to the user through a game controller or other devices are known as haptic systems. This tactile information is generally known as force feedback in medical, video gaming and military training applications. Virtual reality also refers to remote communication environments which provide a virtual presence of users with through telepresence and telexistence or the use of a virtual artifact (VA). The immersive environment can be similar to the real world in order to create a lifelike experience grounded in reality or sci-fi. Augmented reality systems may also be considered a form of VR that layers virtual information over a live camera feed into a headset, or through a smartphone or tablet device.

Etymology and terminology

Paramount for the sensation of immersion into virtual reality are a high frame rate (at least 95 fps), as well as a low latency. Furthermore, a pixel persistence lower than 3 ms is required, because if not, users will feel sick when moving their head around.[]

In 1938, Antonin Artaud described the illusory nature of characters and objects in the theatre as "la réalité virtuelle" in a collection of essays, Le Théâtre et son double. The English translation of this book, published in 1958 as The Theater and its Double,[1] is the earliest published use of the term "virtual reality". The term "artificial reality", coined by Myron Krueger, has been in use since the 1970s. The term "virtual reality" was used in The Judas Mandala, a 1982 science fiction novel by Damien Broderick. Virtual Reality Industry research report is a meticulous investigation of current scenario of the market, which covers several market dynamics. The Global market research report is a resource, which provides current as well as upcoming technical and financial details of the industry. "Virtual" has had the meaning "being something in essence or effect, though not actually or in fact" since the mid-1400s, "...probably via sense of "capable of producing a certain effect" (early 1400s)".[2] The term "virtual" has been used in the computer sense of "not physically existing but made to appear by software" since 1959.[2]

Virtual reality shares some elements with "augmented reality" (or AR).[4] AR is a type of virtual reality technology that blends what the user sees in their real surroundings with digital content generated by computer software. The additional software-generated images with the virtual scene typically enhance how the real surroundings look in some way. Some AR systems use a camera to capture the user's surroundings or some type of display screen which the user looks at (e.g., Microsoft's HoloLens, Magic Leap).

Technology

The Virtual Reality Modelling Language (VRML), first introduced in 1994, was intended for the development of "virtual worlds" without dependency on headsets.[5] The Web3D consortium was subsequently founded in 1997 for the development of industry standards for web-based 3D graphics. The consortium subsequently developed X3D from the VRML framework as an archival, open-source standard for web-based distribution of VR content.[6]

All modern VR displays are based on technology developed for smartphones including: gyroscopes and motion sensors for tracking head, hand, and body positions; small HD screens for stereoscopic displays; and small, lightweight and fast processors. These components led to relative affordability for independent VR developers, and lead to the 2012 Oculus Rift kickstarter offering the first independently developed VR headset.[7]

Independent production of VR images and video has increased by the development of omnidirectional cameras, also known as 360-degree cameras or VR cameras, that have the ability to record in all directions, although at low-resolutions or in highly compressed formats for online streaming.[8] In contrast, photogrammetry is increasingly used to combine several high-resolution photographs for the creation of detailed 3D objects and environments in VR applications.[9][10]

History

Before the 1950s

The exact origins of virtual reality are disputed, partly because of how difficult it has been to formulate a definition for the concept of an alternative existence.[11] Elements of virtual reality appeared as early as the 1860s. French avant-garde playwright Antonin Artaud took the view that illusion was not distinct from reality, advocating that spectators at a play should suspend disbelief and regard the drama on stage as reality.[12] The first references to the more modern concept of virtual reality came from science fiction. Stanley G. Weinbaum's 1935 short story "Pygmalion's Spectacles"[13] describes a goggle-based virtual reality system with holographic recording of fictional experiences, including smell and touch.

1950-1970

Morton Heilig wrote in the 1950s of an "Experience Theatre" that could encompass all the senses in an effective manner, thus drawing the viewer into the onscreen activity. He built a prototype of his vision dubbed the Sensorama in 1962, along with five short films to be displayed in it while engaging multiple senses (sight, sound, smell, and touch). Predating digital computing, the Sensorama was a mechanical device. Heilig also developed what he referred to as the "Telesphere Mask" (patented in 1960). The patent application described the device as "a telescopic television apparatus for individual use...The spectator is given a complete sensation of reality, i.e. moving three dimensional images which may be in colour, with 100% peripheral vision, binaural sound, scents and air breezes".[14]

Around the same time, Douglas Engelbart used computer screens both as input and output devices. In 1968, Ivan Sutherland, with the help of his student Bob Sproull, created what was widely considered to be the first head-mounted display (HMD) system for use in immersive simulation applications. It was primitive both in terms of user interface and realism, and the HMD to be worn by the user was so heavy that it had to be suspended from the ceiling. The graphics comprising the virtual environment were simple wire-frame model rooms. The formidable appearance of the device inspired its name, The Sword of Damocles.

1970-1990

Battlezone, an arcade video game from 1980, used 3D vector graphics to immerse the player in a VR world.(Atari).

Also notable among the earlier hypermedia and virtual reality systems was the Aspen Movie Map, which was created at MIT in 1978. The program was a crude virtual simulation of Aspen, Colorado in which users could wander the streets in one of the three modes: summer, winter, and polygons. The first two were based on photographs--the researchers actually photographed every possible movement through the city's street grid in both seasons--and the third was a basic 3-D model of the city. Atari founded a research lab for virtual reality in 1982, but the lab was closed after two years due to Atari Shock (North American video game crash of 1983). However, its hired employees, such as Tom Zimmerman, Scott Fisher, Jaron Lanier and Brenda Laurel, kept their research and development on VR-related technologies. By the 1980s the term "virtual reality" was popularized by Jaron Lanier, one of the modern pioneers of the field. Lanier had founded the company VPL Research in 1985. VPL Research has developed several VR devices like the Data Glove, the Eye Phone, and the Audio Sphere. VPL licensed the Data Glove technology to Mattel, which used it to make an accessory known as the Power Glove. While the Power Glove was hard to use and not popular, at US$75, it was an early affordable VR device.

A VPL Research DataSuit, a full-body outfit with sensors for measuring the movement of arms, legs, and trunk. Developed circa 1989. Displayed at the Nissho Iwai showroom in Tokyo

The 1990s saw the first widespread commercial releases of consumer headsets. In 1991, Sega announced the Sega VR headset for arcade games and the Mega Drive console. It used LCD screens in the visor, stereo headphones, and inertial sensors that allowed the system to track and react to the movements of the user's head.[19] In the same year, Virtuality launched and went on to become the first mass-produced, networked, multiplayer VR entertainment system. It was released in many countries, including a dedicated VR arcade at Embarcadero Center in San Francisco. Costing up to $73,000 per multi-pod Virtuality system, they featured headsets and exoskeleton gloves that gave one of the first "immersive" VR experiences.[20] Antonio Medina, a MIT graduate and NASA scientist, designed a virtual reality system to "drive" Mars rovers from Earth in apparent real time despite the substantial delay of Mars-Earth-Mars signals.[21]

The Virtual Boy was created by Nintendo and was released in Japan on July 21, 1995 and in North America on August 15, 1995.[26] Also in 1995, a group in Seattle created public demonstrations of a "CAVE-like" 270 degree immersive projection room called the Virtual Environment Theater, produced by entrepreneurs Chet Dagit and Bob Jacobson.[27] The same system was shown in 1996 in tradeshow exhibits sponsored by Netscape Communications.[] Forte released the VFX1, a PC-powered virtual reality headset in 1995, which was supported by games including Descent, Star Wars: Dark Forces, System Shock and Quake.

In 1999, entrepreneur Philip Rosedale formed Linden Lab with an initial focus on the development of VR hardware. In its earliest form, the company struggled to produce a commercial version of "The Rig", which was realized in prototype form as a clunky steel contraption with several computer monitors that users could wear on their shoulders. The concept was later adapted into the personal computer-based, 3D virtual world Second Life.[28]

2000-2015

In 2001, SAS3 or SAS Cube became the first PC based cubic room, developed by Z-A Production (Maurice Benayoun, David Nahon), Barco, Clarté, installed in Laval France in April 2001. The SAS library gave birth to Virtools VRPack. By 2007, Google introduced Street View, a service that shows panoramic views of an increasing number of worldwide positions such as roads, indoor buildings and rural areas. It also features a stereoscopic 3D mode, introduced in 2010.[29]

In 2010, Palmer Luckey designed the first prototype of the Oculus Rift. This prototype, built on a shell of another virtual reality headset, was only capable of rotational tracking. However, it boasted a 90-degree field of vision that was previously unseen in the consumer market at the time. This initial design would later serve as a basis from which the later designs came.[30]

In 2013, Valve discovered and freely shared the breakthrough of low-persistence displays which make lag-free and smear-free display of VR content possible.[31] This was adopted by Oculus and was used in all their future headsets.

In early 2014, Valve showed off their SteamSight prototype, the precursor to both consumer headsets released in 2016. It shared major features with the consumer headsets including separate 1K displays per eye, low persistence, positional tracking over a large area, and fresnel lenses.[32][33]

On March 25, 2014, Facebook purchased Oculus VR for $2 billion.[34] This purchase occurred before any of the devices ordered through Oculus' 2012 Kickstarter had shipped.[35] In that same month, Sony announced Project Morpheus (its code name for PlayStation VR), a virtual reality headset for the PlayStation 4 video game console.[36] Google announces Cardboard, a do-it-yourself stereoscopic viewer for smartphones. The user places their smartphone in the cardboard holder, which they wear on their head. In 2015, the Kickstarter campaign for Gloveone, a pair of gloves providing motion tracking and haptic feedback, was successfully funded, with over $150,000 in contributions.[37]

In February-March 2015, HTC and Valve Corporation announced the virtual reality headset HTC Vive and controllers. The set included tracking technology called Lighthouse, which utilized wall-mounted "base stations" for positional tracking using infrared light.[38][39][40][41]

2015-present

By 2016 there were at least 230 companies developing VR-related products. Facebook has 400 employees focused on VR development; Google, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Sony and Samsung all had dedicated AR and VR groups. Dynamic binaural audio was common to most headsets released that year. However, haptic interfaces were not well developed, and most hardware packages incorporated button-operated handsets for touch-based interactivity. Visually, displays were still of a low-enough resolution and frame-rate that images were still identifiable as virtual.[7] On April 5, 2016, HTC shipped its first units of the HTC VIVE SteamVR headset.[42] This marked the first major commercial release of sensor-based tracking, allowing for free movement of users within a defined space.[43]

In early 2017, a patent filed by Sony showed they were developing a similar location tracking technology to the VIVE for PlayStation VR, with the potential for the development of a wireless headset.[44]

Video games

A person wearing haptic feedback devices, which enable him to feel elements in the virtual world.

Several virtual reality head mounted displays (HMD) were released for gaming during the early-mid 1990s. These included the Virtual Boy developed by Nintendo, the iGlasses developed by Virtual I-O, the Cybermaxx developed by Victormaxx and the VFX1 Headgear developed by Forte Technologies. Other modern examples of narrow VR for gaming include the Wii Remote, the Kinect, and the PlayStation Move/PlayStation Eye, all of which track and send motion input of the players to the game console somewhat accurately.[]

Commercial tethered headsets released for VR gaming include the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive.[45] Systems in development include Sony's PlayStation VR, requiring a PlayStation instead of a PC to run; the StarVR; FOVE;[46] and the Magic Leap.[7]

Following the widespread release of commercial VR headsets in the mid-2010s, several VR-specific and VR versions of popular videogames have been released. Guild Software's Vendetta Online was widely reported as the first MMORPG to support the Oculus Rift,[47][48] making it potentially the first persistent online world with native support for a consumer virtual reality headset. Since 2013, there have been several virtual reality devices that seek to enter the market to complement Oculus Rift to enhance the game experience. One, Virtuix Omni, is based on the ability to move in a three dimensional environment through an omnidirectional treadmill. On April 27, 2016, Mojang announced that the popular sandbox video game Minecraft was playable on the Gear VR.[49] A separate version was released to the Oculus Store for use with the Gear VR, similar to the Pocket Edition of Minecraft.

Some companies are adapting VR for fitness by using gamification concepts to encourage exercise.[50]

Cinema and entertainment

Films produced for VR permit the audience to view a 360 degree environment in every scene. Production companies, such as Fox Searchlight Pictures and Skybound, utilize VR cameras to produce films and series that are interactive in VR.[51][52] Pornographic studios such as Naughty America, BaDoinkVR and Kink have applied VR into their products since late 2015 or early 2016. The clips and videos are shot from an angle that resembles POV-style porn.[53][54]

In September 2016, two announcements were made for broadcast of sporting events in VR. Agon announced that the upcoming World Chess Championship match between Magnus Carlsen and Sergey Karjakin, scheduled for that November, would be "the first in any sport to be broadcast in 360-degree virtual reality."[55] This title was taken by Fox Sports' Fox Sports VR, a series of virtual reality broadcasts consisting mainly of Fox College Football broadcasts. The telecasts (which use roughly 180 degrees of rotation) were made available through smartphone apps and head-mounted displays, through a TV Everywherepaywall. The first VR telecast, which featured Oklahoma hosting Ohio State, took place September 17.[56][57]

Social science and psychology

Virtual Reality offers social scientists and psychologists a cost-effective tool to study and replicate interactions in a controlled environment. In addition, virtual reality enables a new form of perspective-taking by allowing an individual to embody the form of a virtual avatar. Research in this area suggests that embodying another being presents a very different experience from solely imagining one's self as a form.[58] Researchers have used the immersion of virtual reality to investigate how digital stimuli can alter human perception, emotion and physiological state, and how it has transformed social interaction, in addition to studying how digital interaction can enact social change in the physical world.

Altering perception, emotion and physiological state

Studies have considered how the form we take in virtual reality can affect our perception and actions. One study suggests that embodying the body of a young child can influence perception of object sizes such that objects are perceived as being much larger than if the objects were perceived by an individual embodying an adult body.[59] Similarly, another study has found that Caucasian individuals who embodied the form of a dark-skinned avatar performed a drumming task with a more varied style than when they were represented by a pair of white-shaded hands and in comparison to individuals who embodied a light-skin avatar.[60] As a whole, these works suggest that immersive virtual reality can create body-transfer illusions capable of influencing how humans respond to different circumstances.

Research exploring perception, emotions and physiological response within virtual reality suggest that controlled virtual environments can alter how a person feels or responds to stimuli. For example, a controlled virtual environment of a park coupled with a strong perceived feeling of presence cause an individual to feel anxious or relaxed.[61] Similarly, simulated driving through areas of darkness in a virtual tunnel can induce a fear response in humans.[62] Social interaction with virtual characters in a virtual environment has been shown to produce physiological responses such as changes in heart rate and galvanic skin response.[63] Individuals with high levels of social anxiety were found to have larger changes in heart rate than their more socially confident counterparts.[63]

The sense of presence in virtual reality is also linked to the triggering of emotional and physiological response. Research suggests that a strong presence can facilitate emotional response, and this emotional response can further increase one's feeling of presence.[61] Similarly, breaks in presence (or a loss in the sense of presence) can cause physiological changes.[63]

Understanding bias and stereotypes

Researchers have used embodied perspective-taking in virtual reality to explore whether changing a person's self-representation may help in reducing bias against particular social groups. However, the nature of the relationship between embodiment and implicit bias is not yet clear as studies have demonstrated contrasting effects. Individuals who embodied the avatars of old people have demonstrated significant reduction in negative stereotyping of the elderly when compared with individuals placed in avatars of young people.[64] Similarly, light-skinned individuals placed in avatars with a dark body have shown a reduction in their implicit racial bias.[65] However, other research has shown individuals taking the form of a Black avatar had higher levels of implicit racial bias favoring Whites after leaving the virtual environment than individuals who were embodied as White avatars.[58]

Healthcare and clinical therapies

According to a recent report from Goldman Sachs, healthcare could be one of the next markets that VR/AR disrupts.[66] Already, VR devices are being used in clinical therapy, and the results are significant.

Pain management

Immersive VR has been studied for acute pain management, on the theory that it may distract people, reducing their experience of pain.[70][71] Researchers theorize that immersive VR helps with pain reduction by distracting the mind and flooding sensories with a positive experience.[71][72][73]

Education and training

VR is used to provide learners with a virtual environment where they can develop their skills without the real-world consequences of failing. It has also been used and studied in primary education. For example, in Japan's online high school ("N High School") VR plays a major role in education. Even the school's opening ceremony was a virtual experience for 73 of the students: they received headsets, which were connected to the campus hundreds of miles away - so they got to listen to the principal's opening speech without having to travel so far. According to the school's workers, they wanted to give the students a chance to experience VR technology, before having to use it "live" as part of their education.[74]

Military uses

Thomas A. Furness III was one of the first to develop the use of VR for military training when, in 1982, he presented the Air Force with a working model of his virtual flight simulator the Visually Coupled Airborne Systems Simulator (VCASS).[] The second phase of his project, which he called the "Super Cockpit", was even more advanced, with high resolution graphics (for the time) and a responsive display.[] Furness III is often credited as a pioneer in virtual reality for this research.[75] The Ministry of Defense in the United Kingdom has been using VR in military training since the 1980s.[76] The United States military announced the Dismounted Soldier Training System in 2012.[77] It was cited as the first fully immersive military VR training system.[78]

Space training

NASA has used VR technology for twenty years.[79] Most notable is their use of immersive VR to train astronauts while they are still on Earth. Such applications of VR simulations include exposure to zero-gravity work environments and training on how to spacewalk.[80][81] Astronauts can even simulate what it is like to work with tools in space while using low cost 3D printed mock up tools.[82]

Flight and vehicular applications

A headscreen-wearing soldier sits at a gunner station while learning in a Virtual Training Suite.

Flight simulators are a form of VR pilot training. They can range from a fully enclosed module to a series of computer monitors providing the pilot's point of view.[83] By the same token, virtual driving simulations are used to train tank drivers on the basics before allowing them to operate the real vehicle.[84] Similar principles are applied in truck driving simulators for specialized vehicles such as firetrucks. As these drivers often have less opportunity for real-world experience, VR training provides additional training time.[85]

Medical training

VR technology has many useful applications in the medical field.[86] Simulated surgeries allow surgeons to practice their technical skills without any risk to patients. Numerous studies have shown that physicians who receive surgical training via VR simulations improve dexterity and performance in the operating room significantly more than control groups.[87][88][89] Through VR, medical students and novice surgeons have the ability to view and experience complex surgeries without stepping into the operating room. On April 14, 2016, Shafi Ahmed was the first surgeon to broadcast an operation in virtual reality; viewers followed the surgery in real time from the surgeon's perspective.[90] The VR technology allowed viewers to explore the full range of activities in the operating room as it was streamed by a 4K 360fly camera.[91]

Virtopia was the first VR Artwork to be premièred at a film festival. Created by artist/researcher Jacquelyn Ford Morie with researcher Mike Goslin, it debuted at the 1992 Florida Film Festival. Subsequent screenings of a more developed version of the project were at the 1993 Florida Film Festival and at SIGGRAPH 1994's emerging tech venue, The Edge. Morie was one of the first artists to focus on emotional content in VR experiences.[93][94]

Engineering

The use of 3D computer-aided design (CAD) data was limited by 2D monitors and paper printouts until the mid-to-late 1990s, when video projectors, 3D tracking, and computer technology enabled a renaissance in the use 3D CAD data in virtual reality environments. With the use of active shutter glasses and multi-surface projection units immersive engineering was made possible by companies like VRcom and IC.IDO. Virtual reality has been used in automotive, aerospace, and ground transportation original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in their product engineering and manufacturing engineering . Virtual reality adds more dimensions to virtual prototyping, product building, assembly, service, performance use-cases. This enables engineers from different disciplines to view their design as its final product. Engineers can view the virtual bridge, building or other structure from any angle. As well, some computer models allow engineers to test their structure's resistance to winds, weight, and other elements. Immersive VR engineering systems enable engineers to see virtual prototypes prior to the availability of any physical prototypes.

Virtual reality in occupational safety and health

VR simulates real workplaces for occupational safety and health purposes. Information and projection technology are used to produce a virtual, three-dimensional, dynamic work environment. Within work scenarios for example some parts of a machine move of their own accord while others can be moved by human operators. Perspective, angle of view, and acoustic and haptic properties change according to where the person is standing and how he or she moves relative to the environment. VR technology allows human information processing close to real life situations. VR enables all phases of a product life cycle, from design, through use, up to disposal, to be simulated, analysed and optimised. VR can be used for OSH purposes to:

Review and improve the usability of products and processes whilst their development and design are still in progress. This enables errors in development and the need for subsequent modifications to be avoided.

Systematically and empirically review design solutions for the human-system interfaces and their influence upon human behaviour. This reduces the need for physical modifications to machinery, and for extensive field studies.

Identify cause-effect relationships following accidents on and involving products. This saves material, personnel, time and financial outlay associated with in-situ testing.

Heritage and archaeology

The first use of a VR presentation in a heritage application was in 1994, when a museum visitor interpretation provided an interactive "walk-through" of a 3D reconstruction of Dudley Castle in England as it was in 1550. This consisted of a computer controlled laserdisc-based system designed by British-based engineer Colin Johnson. The system was featured in a conference held by the British Museum in November 1994, and in the subsequent technical paper, Imaging the Past - Electronic Imaging and Computer Graphics in Museums and Archaeology.[100] Virtual reality enables heritage sites to be recreated extremely accurately, so that the recreations can be published in various media.[101] The original sites are often inaccessible to the public or, due to the poor state of their preservation, hard to picture.[102] This technology can be used to develop virtual replicas of caves, natural environment, old towns, monuments, sculptures and archaeological elements.[103]

Architectural and urban design

One of the first recorded uses of virtual reality in architecture was in the late 1980s when the University of North Carolina modeled its Sitterman Hall, home of its computer science department, in a virtual environment.[104]

A land development plan using Prefurbia, a 4th generation design system.

By 2010, VR programs were developed for urban regeneration, planning and transportation projects.[105]

Music and concerts

Assembled Google Cardboard VR

VR has the possibility of changing how we view live music[106] by allowing the audience to be right up front their band or to attend virtual concerts like Coachella.[107] Virtual reality can also transform music videos by making them more intense and powerful.[108]Music visualization also has the potential to be changed by VR with multiple apps being created for the Oculus and the HTC Vive although some people dubious as to how popular these will be.[109] Virtual reality is also used in visual music applications.[110]

On May 3, 2016, Norwegian pop band a-ha gave a multimedia performance in collaboration with Void, a Norwegiancomputational design studio. The stereoscopic VR-experience was made available for Android users directly through a YouTube app and also made available for iPhone users and other platforms.[111][112][113]

Marketing

Virtual reality presents a unique opportunity for advertisers to reach a completely immersed audience.[114] Companies such as Paramount Pictures, Coca-Cola, McDonald's, Disney, The North Face[115] and Innis & Gunn[116] have applied VR into marketing campaigns.[117][118] Non-profit organizations such as Amnesty International, UNICEF, and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) have used virtual reality to bring potential supporters closer to their work, effectively bringing distant social, political and environmental issues and projects to members of the public in immersive ways not possible with traditional media. Panoramic 360 views of conflict in Syria[119] and face to face encounters with CGI tigers in Nepal[120] have been used in experiential activations and shared online for educational and fundraising purposes.

Lowe's, IKEA, Wayfair and other retailers have developed systems that allow their products to be seen in virtual reality, to give consumers a better idea of how the product will fit into their home, or to allow the consumer to get a better look at the product from home.[121] Consumers looking at digital photos of the products can "turn" the product around virtually, and see it from the side or the back.

Several companies develop software or services that allow architectural design firms and real estate clients to tour virtual models of proposed building designs. During the design process, architects can use VR to experience the designs they are working on before they are built. Seeing a design in VR can give architect a correct sense of scale and proportion.[122] VR models can replace physical miniatures to demonstrate a design to clients or the public. Developers and owners can create VR model of built spaces that allow potential buyers or tenants to tour a space in VR, even if real-life circumstances make a physical tour unfeasible.

In July 2015, OnePlus became the first company to launch a product via virtual reality.[123]

In the 1980s and 1990s, Cyberpunks viewed the technology as a potential means for social change. The recreational drug subculture praised virtual reality not only as a new art form, but as an entirely new frontier.[75]

Concerns and challenges

Virtual reality technology faces a number of challenges, including health and safety, privacy and technical issues. Long-term effects of virtual reality on vision and neurological development are unknown; users might become disoriented in a purely virtual environment, causing balance issues; computer latency might affect the simulation, providing a less-than-satisfactory end-user experience; navigating the non-virtual environment (if the user is not confined to a limited area) might prove dangerous without external sensory information. There have been rising concerns that with the advent of virtual reality, some users may experience virtual reality addiction.[124] From an economic and financial perspective, early entrants to the virtual reality market may spend a significant amount of time and money on the technology. If it is not adopted by enough customers, the investment will not pay off.[125]

A number of unwanted symptoms have been caused by prolonged use of virtual reality,[127] and these may have slowed proliferation of the technology. Virtual reality sickness (also known as cybersickness) occurs when a person's exposure to a virtual environment causes symptoms that are similar to motion sickness symptoms.[128] The most common symptoms are general discomfort, headache, stomach awareness, nausea, vomiting, pallor, sweating, fatigue, drowsiness, disorientation, and apathy.[129] Other symptoms include postural instability and retching.[129] Virtual reality sickness is different from motion sickness in that it can be caused by the visually induced perception of self-motion; real self-motion is not needed.[128] It is also different from simulator sickness; non-virtual reality simulator sickness tends to be characterized by oculomotor disturbances, whereas virtual reality sickness tends to be characterized by disorientation.[130] A 2016 publication assessed the effects of exposure to 2D vs 3D dissection videos on nine pathology resident physicians, using self-reported physiologic symptoms. Watching the content in 3D vs 2D did not increase simulator sickness. Although the average simulator sickness questionnaire score did increase with time, statistical analysis does not suggest significance.[131]

Privacy

The persistent tracking required by all VR systems makes the technology particularly useful for, and vulnerable to, mass surveillance. The expansion of VR will increase the potential and reduce the costs for information gathering of personal actions, movements and responses.[7] In networked VR spaces with capacity for public interaction, there is the potential for unexpected modifications of the environment.[125]

Conceptual and philosophical concerns

In addition, there are conceptual, and philosophical considerations and implications associated with the use of virtual reality. What the phrase "virtual reality" means or refers to can be ambiguous. Mychilo S. Cline argued in 2005 that through virtual reality techniques will be developed to influence human behavior, interpersonal communication, and cognition.[132][133][134] In the book The Metaphysics of Virtual Reality by Michael R. Heim, seven different concepts of virtual reality are identified: simulation, interaction, artificiality, immersion, telepresence, full-body immersion, and network communication. As we spend more and more time in virtual space, there could be a gradual "migration to virtual space", resulting in important changes in economics, worldview, and culture.[135] Philosophical implications of VR are discussed in books, including Philip Zhai's Get Real: A Philosophical Adventure in Virtual Reality (1998) and Digital Sensations: Space, Identity and Embodiment in Virtual Reality (1999), written by Ken Hillis.

Pioneers and notables

This section is in a list format that may be better presented using prose.You can help by converting this section to prose, if appropriate. Editing help is available.(January 2016)

Commercial industries

This section is in a list format that may be better presented using prose.You can help by converting this section to prose, if appropriate. Editing help is available.(February 2015)

The companies working in the virtual reality sector fall broadly into three categories of involvement: hardware (making headsets and input devices specific to VR), software (producing software for interfacing with the hardware or for delivering content to users) and content creation (producing content, whether interactive or passive storylines, games, and artificial worlds, for consumption and exploration with VR hardware).

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Learn about the history of VR, from how it was invented to how it is used in the world todayâbeyond smart phone appsâand how VR headsets play with your senses of sight, sound, and touch to fool you into thinking you are somewhere else. Then use the included VR viewer and smartphone app download to come face-to-face with a T. rex, look inside a volcano, explore the Roman Colosseum, hop aboard the International Space Station, and peek under the surface of a pond.

Created in association with an educational VR company, this groundbreaking book from DK explains everything you need to know. Are you ready to be transported?

Imagine being able to "walk" into your computer and interact with any program you create. It sounds like science fiction, but it's science fact. Surgeons now rehearse operations on computer-generated "virtual" patients, and architects "walk through" virtual buildings while the actual structures are still in blueprints. In Virtual Reality, Howard Rheingold takes us to the front lines of this revolutionary new technology that creates computer-generated worlds complete with the sensations of touch and motion, and explores its impact on everything from entertainment to particle physics.

Explore the world of Virtual Reality by building immersive and fun VR projects using Unity 3D

Key Features

Learn the basic principles of virtual reality applications and get to know how they differ from games and desktop apps

Build various types of VR experiences, including diorama, first-person characters, riding on rails, 360 degree projections, and social VR

A project-based guide that teaches you to use Unity to develop VR applications, which can be experienced with devices such as the Oculus Rift or Google Cardboard

Book Description

What is consumer 'virtual reality'? Wearing a head-mounted display you view stereoscopic 3D scenes. You can look around by moving your head, and walk around using hand controls or motion sensors. You are engaged in a fully immersive experience. On the other hand, Unity is a powerful game development engine that provides a rich set of features such as visual lighting, materials, physics, audio, special effects, and animation for creating 2D and 3D games. Unity 5 has become the leading platform for building virtual reality games, applications and experiences for this new generation of consumer VR devices.

Using a practical and project-based approach, this book will educate you about the specifics of virtual reality development in Unity.

You will learn how to use Unity to develop VR applications which can be experienced with devices such as the Oculus Rift or Google Cardboard. We will then learn how to engage with virtual worlds from a third person and first person character point of view. Furthermore, you will explore the technical considerations especially important and possibly unique to VR. The projects in the book will demonstrate how to build a variety of VR experiences. You will be diving into the Unity 3D game engine via the interactive Unity Editor as well as C-Sharp programming.

By the end of the book, you will be equipped to develop rich, interactive virtual reality experiences using Unity.

So, let's get to it!

What You Will Learn

Create 3D scenes with Unity and Blender while learning about world space and scale

Build and run VR applications for consumer headsets including Oculus Rift and Google Cardboard

Build interactive environments with physics, gravity, animations, and lighting using the Unity engine

Experiment with various user interface (UI) techniques that you can use in your VR applications

Implement the first-person and third-person experiences that use only head motion gestures for input

Learn about the technology and psychology of VR including rendering, performance and VR motion sickness

Gain introductory and advanced experience in Unity programming with the C# language

Who This Book Is For

If you're a non-programmer unfamiliar with 3D computer graphics, or experienced in both but new to virtual reality, and are interested in building your own VR games or applications then this book is for you. Any experience in Unity is an advantage.

Virtual Reality for Beginners!How to Understand, Use & Create with VRAre You Ready To Learn All About VR? If So You've Come To The Right Place... Here's A Preview Of What This Virtual Reality Book Contains...

Virtual reality is as explosive a technology as the Internet! Are you working in the VR industry, or curious to find out more about it? VR Insider is an overview and guidebook for consumer virtual reality. For the industry veteran, it is the perfect book to stir up new ideas and see how the big picture fits together. For newcomers to VR, it is the fastest way to catch up on what is happening and figure out how to apply your skills. Affordable virtual reality hardware finally exists, and this book will help you create its content! Best of all, this book is readable in 1-2 hours!Â

2nd Edition Update (December 2015):Â A lot has changed in the year since this book was published. This second edition adds 24 pages of new content, updating the information to the latest developments in VR, and incorporating the author's experience starting a VR content company. The time for VR is now!

This is the most comprehensive and up-to-date guide to the technologies, applications and human factors considerations of Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) systems and wearable computing devices. Ideal for practitioners and students alike, it brings together comprehensive coverage of both theory and practice, emphasizing leading-edge displays, sensors, and other enabling technologies and tools that are already commercially available or will be soon.Â Beginning with a Foreword by NASA research scientist Victor Luo, Practical Augmented Reality starts by explaining the mechanics of human sight, hearing and touch, showing how these perceptual mechanisms (and their performance ranges) directly dictate the design and use of wearable displays, 3-D audio systems, and tactile/force feedback devices.Â The book presents revealing case studies of real-world applications from gaming, entertainment, Big Data visualization, engineering, aeronautics and aerospace, defense, medicine, telerobotics, architecture, law enforcement, and geophysics. Readers will find clear, easy-to-understand explanations, photos, and illustrations of devices including the Atheer AiR, HTC Vive, DAQRI Smart Helmet, Oculus (Facebook) CV1, Sony PlayStation VR, Vuzix M300, Google Glass, and many more. Functional diagrams and photographs clearly explain how these devices operate, and link directly to relevant theoretical and practical content.Â Practical Augmented Reality thoroughly considers the human factors of these systems, including sensory and motor physiology constraints, monocular and binocular depth cues, elements contributing to visually-induced motion sickness and nausea, as well as vergence-accommodation conflicts. It concludes by assessing both the legal and societal implications of new and emerging AR, VR, and wearable technologies, as well as provides a look next generation systems.

Named one of the best books of 2017 by The Economist, The Wall Street Journal, & Vox

The father of virtual reality explains its dazzling possibilities by reflecting on his own lifelong relationship with technology

Bridging the gap between tech mania and the experience of being inside the human body, Dawn of the New Everything is a look at what it means to be human at a moment of unprecedented technological possibility.

Through a fascinating look back over his life in technology, Jaron Lanier, an interdisciplinary scientist and father of the term âvirtual reality,â exposes VRâs ability to illuminate and amplify our understanding of our species, and gives readers a new perspective on how the brain and body connect to the world. An inventive blend of autobiography, science writing, philosophy and advice, this book tells the wild story of his personal and professional life as a scientist, from his childhood in the UFO territory of New Mexico, to the loss of his mother, the founding of the first start-up, and finally becoming a world-renowned technological guru.

Understanding virtual reality as being both a scientific and cultural adventure, Lanier demonstrates it to be a humanistic setting for technology. While his previous books offered a more critical view of social media and other manifestations of technology, in this book he argues that virtual reality can actually make our lives richer and fuller.

Without a clear understanding of the human side of virtual reality (VR), the experience will always fail. The VR Book bridges this gap by focusing on human-centered design. Creating compelling VR applications is an incredibly complex challenge. When done well, these experiences can be brilliant and pleasurable, but when done badly, they can result in frustration and sickness. Whereas limitations of technology can cause bad VR execution, problems are oftentimes caused by a lack of understanding human perception, interaction, design principles, and real users. This book focuses on the human elements of VR, such as how users perceive and intuitively interact with various forms of reality, causes of VR sickness, creating useful and pleasing content, and how to design and iterate upon effective VR applications. This book is not just for VR designers, it is for managers, programmers, artists, psychologists, engineers, students, educators, and user experience professionals. It is for the entire VR team, as everyone contributing should understand at least the basics of the many aspects of VR design. The industry is rapidly evolving, and The VR Book stresses the importance of building prototypes, gathering feedback, and using adjustable processes to efficiently iterate towards success. With extensive details on the most important aspects of VR, more than 600 applicable guidelines, and over 300 additional references, The VR Book will bring a strong foundation for anyone and everyone involved in creating VR experiences.

Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) have changed the playing field dramatically for marketing, branding, and public relations professionals. Marketing New Realities gives you the tools youâll need to understand, create, and manage successful VR and AR campaigns now and for years to come. Get a head start on this new frontier, and harness the power of next-gen communication tools to engage effectively with your audience.

Pansonite 3D VR Pansonite 3D VR is the highest quality for this price in the market. Turn your smartphone into a virtual reality viewer, experience the immersive, fun and exciting world of VR. Perfect Sound Performance The special sound field technology supply an excellent 3D audio-effect and make headset fit your ear perfectly. Multifunction for volume and smartphone Capacitive touch button allows you to fully immerse yourself into VR games. You can adjust the volume and answer incoming calling using the multifunction button. No need to remove your phone , effect and simple. Eyes Protecting & Comfortable Lenses with high-precision and high light-transmission ensure clear images and effectively dissipate eye fatigue and the feel of vertigo. Sponge and leather area is soft and skin-friendly, making it comfortable to wear and easy to clean. The nose area is deepened, reducing the pressure on your nose. Removable front cover helps heat dissipation and keeps cool while enjoying the virtual world. Lighter and Smaller You will not feel any weight while using or carring cause of small size Remote Controller Description Size: 130mm*60mm*14mm Wireless Protocol: Bluetooth 3.0 compliant Wireless Distance: 2-10 meters OS: Android /iOS /PC CPU: ARM 968E-S Coer Continuous Game Time: about 40hours If any questions, please be free to contact us, We will resolve your problems as soon as possible within 24 hours.

SPECIAL TIPS: The Remote is free gift for this VR KAMLE Glasses,It is need to open your phone remote equipment connection can usage, It is not game remote. It can only control the videos pause or play, volume enlarged or lowered,forward or backward etc. If you need to play games,we suggest you purchase a professional game remote.

VR KAMLE endows products with a sense of design and technical spirit, conveying our pursuit of life. VR KAMLE New Version VR Headset--V4 3D VR Headset, your's Best Good Choice to enjoy the immesive VR World !

Features:1. Latest original adsorption panel, more intimate heat. Installation is simple and convenient pick up, wearing hot and solve the problem of heat dissipation phone. 2. Gently pick adsorption panel to open the phones into, wearing the camera head movement can be changed in seconds. 3. The lens uses newly developed high-quality light-transmissive optical lenses, more used to increase the lens diameter, wider clear vision for realistic detail display. 4. Support myopic view, within the 600-degree naked eye view Movies. 5. The exclusive right and left lenses IPD mediation, we all know that people have about different degrees of myopia, exclusive support around the lens ring can be adjusted. 6. The head contact memory rebound cortex goggles, high-quality artificial leather. Sponge material is more than the average heat more comfortable more upscale. 7. Supports multi-functional object distance and focal length adjustment, according to each different object distance and focal length to adjust. 8. phone into a more convenient, more centered around the screen. Support all smartphones between 4.0-6.0 inch screen smart phone into.

Pansonite 3D VR Glasses, the best gift for kids and friends! We all know that once you are actively using a VR Headset, you always want it with you. Pansonite 3D VR is no more clunky and more convenient to carry. New social features to interact with friends in VR -watch a movie/TV together, play a game or just chat in a virtual world experience. Innovative design To have comfortable wearing and high quality 3D photos, it adopts ABS + non-woven, adjustable nylon headband and 40mm aspheric optical resin lens. The front cover is magnetically attached and keep your device cool. You could adjust the head strap according to personal wearing size to get the best experience. Press the multifunctional button will contact screen, making you convenient to enjoy the 3d world. Eyes Protecting & Comfortable Lenses are ungraded to be more smooth and purified to protect your eyes . Improved soft artificial perforated leather around the eye area and headband to keeps you feeling good even after hours watching. Outstanding 3D virtual reality experience Panoramic view and high quality 3D photos bring you an unlimited world. Turn your smartphone into a virtual reality viewer, experience the immersive, fun and exciting world of VR. Enjoy 360 degree panoramic videos and photos, watch 3D IMAX movies in your private theatre, connect your smartphone to your PC and completely immerse yourself in your favorite video game world! Your Own Private 3D Cinema Anywhere Pansonite 3D VR Glasses feature its innovative fabric design, light weight and comfortable wearing, which contribute to immersive visual experience with high definition photos. Go anywhere, do anything, be anyone with virtual reality. Package contents 1 x VR glasses 1 x Cleaning cloth 1 x User guide

Do you want to watch an exciting 3D movie at anywhere and anytime? Do you want a real racing, marching in gunfire or shooing bullets in battlefield in 3D games? Do you want to immerse yourself thoroughly in the 3D VR world for longer time? Do you spend hours trying to focus the lenses of other Virtual Reality glasses...and you may still never get it 'Just Right'? The Pansonite 3D VR glasses virtual reality headset will resolve your concern! With the Pansonite Virtual Reality Glasses, you can watch the best shocking movies in your own private cinema, turn 360 degrees, travel around the virtual world, simulated Lunar, Mars, Seaside, Jurassic Park and other panoramic scenes, you can also experience the roller coaster, live CS, big swing clock and other exciting games without going out of the house. You'll Finally Experience More Comfortable & Natural VR World with the Pansonite 3D VR glasses!Good Heat Dissipation: Much faster heat dissipation than other similar products with detachable front lid. Easier to Focus Invisible Lenses: You can adjust your VR lenses to the right position in as little as 10 seconds to avoid eye strain. More Comfortable: Extreme lightweight material reduce pressure around your eyes and on your head. Soft and breathable leather foam keeps your eyes comfortable even after hours watching. You will not feel visual fatigue or dizziness even if you use it for a long time because of the resin lens. More Real Experience: Wider view of vision, precise head-tracking and low latency brings virtual to reality. Package include: The Pansonite VR headset Cleaning cloth User manual 100% Guaranteed Customer Service If you are not 100% satisfied with the quality of the product, please contact us without hesitation. We will try our best to help you within one day. Your 100% satisfaction is guaranteed.

Turn your smartphone or mobile device into a powerful gaming machine with the BnextTM VR Headset!

Technology has given us exciting tools and revolutionary new advances in home enjoyment, but nothing rivals playing video games and watching movies in your very own VR world. Introducing the Bnext Virtual Reality Headset, the next big thing in virtual gaming.

Immersive Visual Experience

The Bnext VR HEADSET is a truly remarkable video game system. By inserting a compatible smartphone securely into the front face piece, you can play games in a total 360-degree world where the only limit is your imagination. Better yet, you can ride on virtual rollercoasters, watch VR YouTube videos and experience thrilling scares like never before. If you're ready to envelope yourself in a whole new world, pick up the Bnext Virtual Reality Headset and experience games and videos in a whole new way.

Turn your smartphone or mobile device into a powerful gaming machine with the Bnext3D VR Headset!

Technology has given us exciting tools and revolutionary new advances in home enjoyment, but nothing rivals playing video games and watching movies in your very own 3D world. Introducing the Bnext3D Virtual Reality Headset, the next big thing in virtual gaming.

Immersive Visual Experience

The Bnext3D is a truly remarkable video game system. By inserting a compatible smartphone securely into the front face piece, you can play games in a total 360-degree world where the only limit is your imagination. Better yet, you can ride on virtual rollercoasters, watch 3D YouTube videos and experience thrilling scares like never before. If you're ready to envelope yourself in a whole new world, pick up the Bnext3D Virtual Reality Headset and experience games and videos in a whole new way.

Product Details:

Adjustable Head Strap for Improved Comfort

Breathable Foam Face for Extended Wear

Comfortable and Adjustable Head Straps

FD and OD Adjustments for Reduced Distortion

Eyesight Protection System

Supports Screen Size: 4"- 6"

Supports Screen Resolutions: HD, 3D, 720p, 1080p

Compatibility: iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, Google Series, HTC, and More

Click 'Add to Cart' now and start preparing for the 3D gaming revolution with your very own portable VR Headset Virtual Reality Glasses!

VIVE gives you an unparalleled, true-to-life virtual reality experience. Using a headset and wireless controllers, you can explore and interact with VR experiences, apps and games that blur the line between imagination and reality. From AAA games to unforgettable experiences, there are over 2500 apps and games available for VIVE.

About AOINE : With the speedy development of visual products, AOINE was born with its marvelous items. Being user-oriented, being professional, being detail concentrated, is our AOINE, our VR Headsetï¼

Why choose AOINE VR Headset: â Full immersion 112 degree viewing angle, more closer to the human eye's vision. You can experience the immersive, fun, exciting world of VR and enjoy 360 degree panoramic videos and photos.â Fully adjustable pupil distance in 57-70mm and object settings, can be cater up to 600 degree of shortsightednessâ Through various experiments, the sponge on the glasses is the most comfortable with great air permeability. It can effectively protect you from the skin irritations while wearing the glasses. â The placeholder for the phone is adjustable, you can expand the holder fit your phone, no matter how big it is â The gaps on lateral sides make the heat dissipation of your phone, earphone connection and charging while using available. â The adjustable strap better let the VR glasses excellently decentralizes the gravity, making you feel more comfortable â According to the human body engineering design, nose space designed can effectively reduce the extrusion on the nose. You can enjoy your movie best with any postures. â Free Remote Controller gift for this VR goggles. Note:This Remote not game remote. It can only control the videos pause or play,volume up or down,forward or backward etc. If you need to play games,we suggest you purchase a professional game remote